Abstract
National and international rivalries can intrude into the arena of medical and scientific advances. Editorials and reports published in North American, British, and French medical journals in early 1847 regarding the discovery and initial use of ether anaesthesia illustrate these rivalries. The effects of these opinions and attitudes on the spread of ether anaesthesia are analyzed.
Résumé
Les rivalités internationales et nationales peuvent influencer le progrès médical et scientifique. Les êditoriaux et les rapports publiés dans les revues Nord Américaines, anglaises et françaises au début de ľannée 1847 concernant la découverte et ľutilisation de ľanesthésieà ľéther illustrent ces rivalités. Les effets de ces opinions et attitudes sur la propogation de ľanesthésie à ľéther sont analysés.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Ludovici L. The Discovery of Anaesthesia. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Co., 1961.
Bigelow HJ. Insensibility during Surgical Operations Produced by Ether. Bost Med Surg J 1846; 35: 309–17.
Anonymous. Insensibility during Surgical Operations Produced by Inhalation (Editorial). Annalist 1847; 1: 137–41.
Anonymous. Insensibility during Surgical Operations Produced by Inhalation (Editorial). Medical Examiner 1846; 2: 719–20.
Fishbein M. A History of the American Medical Association 1847-1947. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders Co., 1947: 19–26.
Anonymous. Insensibility Produced during Surgical Operations Produced by Inhalation (Report). Br Am J of Med Phys Sci 1847; 2: 247–8.
Anonymous. Inhalation of Sulphuric Ether Vapour (Editorial). Br Am J of Med Phys Sci 1847; 2: 304–5.
Anonymous. Insensibility during Surgical Operations Produced by Ether (Report). New Orleans Med Surg J 1847; 3: 555.
Anonymous. The Letheon (Editorial). New Orleans Med Surg J 1847; 3: 687.
Anoymous. The Letheon (Editorial). Annalist 1847; 1: 188–90.
Anonymous. Insensibility during Surgical Operations Produced by Inhalation (Editorial). Bost Med Surg J 1846; 35: 413–4.
Warren JC. Inhalation of Ethereal Vapor for the Prevention of Pain in Surgical Procedures. Bost Med Surg J 1846; 35: 375–9.
Anonymous. Insensibility by the Inhalation of the Letheon (Editorial). Bost Med Surg J 1846; 35: 542.
Anonymous. Letheon (Editorial). NY Med Surg Rep 1847; 2: 52–4.
Anonymous. Insensibility during Surgical Operations (Editorial). Med Exam 1847; 4: 229–30.
Duncum EM. The Development of Inhalation Anaesthesia. London: Oxford University Press, 1947; 164–5.
Snow J. On Chloroform and Other Anaesthetics. London: John Churchill, 1858: 362.
Anonymous. Inhalation of Sulphuric Ether (Editorial). Med Exam 1847; 4: 290.
Ellis RH. The Introduction of Ether Anaesthesia to Great Britain. Anaesthesia 1976; 31: 766–77.
Ellis RH. The News of Anaesthesia Spreads to Britain (Abstract). Second International Symposium on the History of Anaesthesia. London. July 20-23, 1987: 003.
Fisher FW. The Ether Inhalation in Paris. Bost Med Surg J 1847; 36: 109–13.
Harrington TF. The Harvard Medical School. Vol. 3. New York: Lewis Pub Co., 1905: 1476.
Hodges RM. A Narrative of Events Connected with the Introduction of Sulphuric Ether into Surgical Use. Boston: Little Brown, 1891: 68–9.
Trent JC. Surgical Anesthesia 1846-1946. J Hist Med All Sci 1946; 1: 505–14.
Talbott J. A Biographical History of Medicine. New York: Grune and Stratton, 1970: 551–3.
Anonymous. Operations without pain (Report). The Medical Times 1846; 15: 251.
Anonymous. Opérations sans douleur (Report). Annales de Thérapeutique 1847; 4: 399.
The Compact Edition of the Oxford English Dictionary. Vol. 2. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1971: 3561.
Anonymous. (Editorial). The Medical Times 1847; 15: 291.
Esdaile J. Alleged painless operation by mesmerism. The Medical Times 1846; 15: 32–3.
Esdaile J. Alleged painless operation by mesmerism. The Medical Times 1846; 15: 68–9.
Esdaile J. Alleged painless operation by mesmerism. The Medical Times 1846; 15: 145–7.
Anonymous. Petite réponse à un journal anglais à propos de ľéther (Editorial). Annales de Thérapeutique 1847; 4: 437.
Neveu R, The Introduction of Surgical Anesthesia into France. J Hist Med All Sci 1946; 1: 607–10.
Davison MHA. The Evolution of Anaesthesia. Altrincham: John Sherrat and Son, 1965: 117–8.
Partington J. A History of Chemistry. London: Macmillan and Co., 1962: 325–38, 344–62, 436–53.
Hahn R. Arago, Dominique François Jean.In: Gillispie C (Ed). Dictionary of Scientific Biography. Vol. 1. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1970: 200–3.
Anonymous. Ľéther sulfurique (Editorial). Annales de Thérapeutique 1847; 4: 416–20.
Anonymous. (Appendix) Transac AMA 1848; 1: 220–1.
Pernick MS. A Calculus of Suffering. New York: Columbia University Press, 1985: 201.
Packard FR. The Conquest of Surgical Pain. Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, 1940: 37–8.
Eaton LK. Medicine in Philadelphia and Boston, 1805–1830. Pa Mag Hist Biog 1951; 75: 66–75.
Wolfe RJ. Personal Communication. Countway Library of Medicine.
Jackson CT. A Manual of Etherization. Boston: JB Mansfield, 1861:57.
Pernick MS. A Calculus of Suffering. New York: Columbia University Press, 1985: 204–5.
Warner JH. The Selective Transport of Medical Knowledge: Antebellum American Physicians and Parisian Medical Therapeutics. Bull Hist Med 1985; 59: 213–31.
Jones RM. American Doctors and the Parisian Medical World 1830-40 (concluded). Bull Hist Med 1973; 47: 177–204.
Jones RM. American Doctors and the Parisian Medical World, 1830-40. Bull Hist Med 1973; 47: 40–65.
Anonymous. The “Letheon” at the New-York Hospital (Report). Annalist 1846; 1: 166–8.
Pope CA. Inhalation of Ethereal Vapor-Operations Performed under its Influence. St Louis Med Surg J 1847: 4: 531–4.
Anonymous. Inhalation of Sulphuric Ether (Report). New Orleans Med Surg J 1847; 3: 818–21.
Maltby JR. The Origins of Anaesthesia in Canada (Abstract). Second International Symposium on the History of Anaesthesia. London. July 20-23, 1987: 008.
MacDougall JA. The Earliest Ether Anaesthetic in British North America — a First for Saint John, New Brunswick? Can J Anaesth 1987; 34: 496–504.
Pernick MS. A Calculus of Suffering. New York: Columbia University Press, 1985: 202.
Olson JS. The Ethnic Dimension in American History. New York: St. Martin’ Press, 1979: 59–61.
Curtis RH. Triumph over Pain. New York: David McKay and Co., 1972:67.
Nuland SB. The Origins of Anesthesia. Birmingham: The Classics of Medicine Library, 1983: 85.
Pernick MS. A Calculus of Suffering. New York: Columbia University Press, 1985: 201–6.
Olmsted JMD. Francois Magendie. New York; Schuman’, 1944: 244–7.
Duncum BM. The Development of Inhalation Anaesthesia. London: Oxford University Press, 1947: 225.
Faber R. French and English. London: Faber and Faber, 1975.
Maulitz RC. Channel Crossing: The Lure of French Pathology for English Medical Students, 1816-36. Bull Hist Med 1981; 55: 475–96.
Ackerknecht EH. Medicine at the Paris Hospital 1794–1848. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins Press, 1967: 192–3.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Tirer, S. History of Medicine Rivalries and controversies during early ether anaesthesia. Can J Anaesth 35, 605–611 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03020348
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03020348